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The Dodgers started stealing more bases, but haven’t cashed them in

MLB: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers didn’t get any steals on Sunday though their aggression on the bases this month has been prevalent. But the scoring opportunities those swipes provided have been largely squandered by poor situational hitting.

The Dodgers have 28 steals in 31 attempts in August, a stunning turnaround after stealing just 32 bases in 48 attempts through the first four months of the season. In July the Dodgers stole just two bases, and were caught five times.

Only the Nationals in April (31 steals) and the Indians in June (29) have stolen more bases in a month this season than the Dodgers have in August.

But of those 28 steals, only four have scored thanks to putrid hitting with runners in scoring position following the thefts.

Dodgers stolen bases in August

Date Player Base Outs Scored? RISP after
Date Player Base Outs Scored? RISP after
Wed, Aug 1 Cody Bellinger 2B 1 No lineout, bunt out
Thu, Aug 2 Manny Machado 2B 1 Yes HBP, BB, HR
Fri, Aug 3 Chris Taylor 2B 2 No Flyout
Sun, Aug 5 Cody Bellinger 2B 2 No K
Tue, Aug 7 Yasiel Puig 2B 2 No BB, flyout
Wed, Aug 8 Manny Machado 3B 2 No BB
Wed, Aug 8 Yasmani Grandal 2B 2 No groundout
Thu, Aug 9 Kiké Hernandez 3B 1 Yes sac fly
Thu, Aug 9 Cody Bellinger 2B 2 No K
Sat, Aug 11 Yasiel Puig 2B 2 No K
Sun, Aug 12 Cody Bellinger 2B 1 No K, groundout
Sun, Aug 12 Brian Dozier 2B 2 No groundout
Sun, Aug 12 Brian Dozier 3B 2 No same ^
Mon, Aug 13 Austin Barnes 2B 2 No K
Mon, Aug 13 Chris Taylor 3B 2 No same ^
Tue, Aug 14 Manny Machado 2B 2 No K
Tue, Aug 14 Cody Bellinger 2B 2 No K
Wed, Aug 15 Chris Taylor 2B 2 No IBB, K
Sat, Aug 18 Justin Turner 2B 2 No Flyout
Sun, Aug 19 Chris Taylor 2B 2 Yes 1B
Sun, Aug 19 Yasiel Puig 2B 2 No BB
Sun, Aug 19 Yasiel Puig 3B 2 No Flyout
Sun, Aug 19 Chris Taylor 3B 1 No Popout, K
Sun, Aug 19 Brian Dozier 2B 2 Yes 1B
Mon, Aug 20 Max Muncy 2B 2 No BB, K
Mon, Aug 20 Manny Machado 2B 2 No Lineout
Sat, Aug 25 Yasiel Puig 2B 1 No Flyout
Sat, Aug 25 Yasiel Puig 3B 2 No K

Dodgers batters following a stolen base in August are just 3-for-26 with 11 strikeouts, six walks, a home run, a hit by pitch and a sacrifice fly, hitting a robust .115/.294/.231 in those situations.

If the Dodgers steal two more bases in their four remaining August games, they will have their fifth month of 30 home runs and 30 steals in franchise history, and their first since May 2014.

Dodgers months with 30 HR & 30 SB

Month Games Home runs (MLB rank) Stolen bases (MLB rank)
Month Games Home runs (MLB rank) Stolen bases (MLB rank)
June 1982 29 30 (t-2nd) 38 (t-2nd)
August 1995 30 31 (12th) 30 (3rd)
September 1999 30 38 (t-11th) 35 (t-1st)
May 2014 30 30 (t-7th) 39 (1st)
August 2018 23 37 (2nd) 28 (1st)
*4 games remain this month Source: Baseball-Reference